Maryland plays its final ACC regular season game in history Sunday at noon as it takes on conference regular season champion No. 5 Virginia. It marks the Terps’ third game against a top-5 opponent in six games.

Fans are reminded to account for traffic when driving to the game, as the contest is a sellout!

Storylines

• The Terps have played the Cavaliers more than any school in their program’s history. Maryland is 106-74 in 180 meetings all-time against Virginia, including a formidable 63-24 home mark.

• Sophomore Jake Layman scored 13 points and junior Dez Wells added 11 as the Terps moved to 6-2 at home in ACC play with a 64-47 victory over Virginia Tech Tuesday. It was the first time Maryland has held an ACC opponent under 50 points since defeating Virginia, 66-42, on Jan. 27, 2011 at John Paul Jones Arena.

• Maryland was highly efficient offensively against the Hokies Tuesday, dishing 18 assists and totaling just five turnovers. It was the first time the Terps committed five turnovers or less in a game since Feb. 14, 1998 against top-ranked North Carolina.

• Former Maryland coaching greats Lefty Driesell (1969-86) and Gary Williams (1989-2011) will be in attendance at the game. Driesell totaled 348 victories at Maryland and is a member of the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame, while Williams led Maryland to the 2002 national title and is a finalist for the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

• Maryland legends Gary Williams, Lefty Driesell, Tom McMillen, Walt Williams and Juan Dixon will be signing autographs prior to the contest to commemorate the Terps’ final ACC game. Additionally, the first 12,000 fans will receive an ACC timeline poster, and fans can share their favorite ACC memories on an interactive wall.

Maryland Outpaces Virginia Tech, 64-47
Jake Layman came off the bench to score 13 points, and Maryland defeated Virginia Tech under a barrage of 3-pointers in a 64-47 Atlantic Coast Conference victory Tuesday night.
The Terrapins (16-14, 8-9) connected five times from beyond the arc in an 18-5 run that turned a 29-28 halftime deficit into a 12-point lead. If the teams don’t meet in the ACC tournament, Maryland will head to the Big Ten after this season with a five-game winning streak against the Hokies and a 32-10 lead in the series.
Dez Wells began the charge with a three-point play and Nick Faust added a 3-pointer. After Jarell Eddie made two free throws, Seth Allen popped a 3 before Joey van Zegeren scored on a follow — the Hokies’ lone basket in the first 7½ minutes of the second half.

Scouting Virginia
Virginia captured its first outright ACC regular season title since 1981 when it defeated No. 4 Syracuse, 75-56, on March 1. The Cavaliers have climbed to fifth in the Associated Press national poll – their highest ranking in over a decade.
The Cavaliers boast the nation’s best defense, holding opponents to a meager 54.8 points per game. Virginia defeated every ACC team by double-digits at home this season except for Maryland.
Freshman guard London Perrantes is an excellent ball-handler for Virginia, ranking eighth in the nation with a 3.68 assist-to-turnover ratio. Akil Mitchell is eighth in the ACC in rebounds (7.0/g).
Virginia has taken six straight games from Maryland — its longest win streak in the series. Maryland has had winning streaks of 11 straight games (1950-55) and 10 (1972-76).

Last Meeting
Joe Harris scored 19 points and No. 17 Virginia stretched its winning streak to eight games by beating Maryland 61-53 on Feb. 10.
Seth Allen scored 15 points and Dez Wells had 12 for Maryland (14-11, 6-6), which had won three of four at the time.
The play of the game came in the second half when Roddy Peters’ fast break layup was blocked by Justin Anderson with 10:45 remaining. Anderson quickly passed the ball to Harris, who pulled up for a transition 3-pointer to complete the 5-point swing. The basket gave the Cavaliers a 40-35 lead that led to a 9-0 run.

25 – 20-win seasons during time in ACC, and 24 NCAA Tournament appearances

Pregame Activies/Giveaways Planned for Virginia Game
Maryland athletics has a wide array of pregame activities and giveaways planned for the final regular season ACC game in history against Virginia.
The first 12,000 fans in attendance will receive an incredible ACC commemorative timeline poster that captures the most memorable Terrapin moments over the last six decades. Additionally, the first 4,000 students will be given a free t-shirt courtesy of Force 3.
An autograph session featuring Maryland legends will take place on a first come, first serve basis until 11:30 a.m. Former coaching greats Gary Williams and Lefty Driesell, in addition to Tom McMillen, Walt Williams and Juan Dixon, are scheduled to appear. The autograph area will be held on the third level concourse behind section 207 and 208.
Fans will have the opportunity to take photographs with ACC championship trophies at the top of the escalator stairs on the third level concourse. Fans are also encouraged to recall their most fond ACC moments on the “My Favorite ACC Moment” interactive wall, located on the Gate A side of Heritage Hall.

Big Ten Announces 2014-15 Home/Away Opponents
Maryland’s home and away opponents for its inaugural men’s basketball season in the Big Ten Conference were announced Feb. 28.
The Terps have home dates against five teams that qualified for the NCAA Tournament in 2013: Indiana, Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota and Wisconsin. Maryland will also host Nebraska, Northwestern, Penn State and Rutgers.
Maryland will play five home-and-home series, featuring Indiana, Michigan State, Nebraska, Penn State and Rutgers. It will also face Illinois, Iowa, Ohio State and Purdue on the road.

Comments Off on Maryland plays final regular season ACC game Sunday against Virginia

• The Terps have won four consecutive meetings over the Hokies, and hold a 31-10 all-time advantage in a series that dates back to 1925-26. Maryland is 5-2 at home in ACC play against Virginia Tech since the Hokies joined the conference in 2004-05.

• Junior Dez Wells scored 19 points and sophomore Seth Allen posted 16 points and seven assists as the Terrapins defeated Virginia Tech, 80-60, earlier this season on Feb. 1. Maryland used a 14-2 second half run to open a 17-point lead and seal the game.

• Clemson outlasted Maryland in a double overtime affair, 77-73, Sunday in the Terps’ final ACC trip to Littlejohn Coliseum. Seth Allen (45) and Dez Wells (44) notched career-highs in minutes played in the game. It was Maryland’s first double overtime game since Feb. 1, 2012 at Miami, and 15th in program history.

• Seth Allen led the Terps with a 20-point effort at Clemson, becoming the first player on the team to notch at least 20 points in back-to-back games this season. Dez Wells was the last Terrapin to accomplish the feat, scoring 21 and 30 points against Wake Forest and Duke, respectively, in the 2013 ACC Tournament.

• Maryland snagged 63 rebounds in the double overtime effort at Clemson Sunday — the most by the Terrapins ever in an ACC contest. It was the sixth-most rebounds in a single game in program history, and most since the Terps tallied 64 against North Texas on Dec. 23, 1998.

Clemson Outlasts Terps in Double OT
Sophomore Seth Allen scored 20 points and Evan Smotrycz added 19 as Clemson took down Maryland 77-73 in double overtime at Littlejohn Coliseum Sunday.
Allen’s final basket gave the Terrapins a 71-70 lead with 1:27 to go. K.J. McDaniels then drove the lane and found a teammate open in the right corner for a 3-point basket. Smotrycz had 19 points off four 3-pointers for Maryland.
The Tigers seemed to wrap it up on Hall’s 3-pointer with 19.2 seconds left in the first overtime for a 63-59 lead. But officials reviewed the shot, found his feet were on the line and changed it to a two-point goal and a 62-59 lead. That’s when Smotrycz hit his fourth 3-pointer with 7.6 seconds to go and sent the game to double overtime.

Scouting Virginia Tech
The Hokies have struggled this season, accumulating a 2-14 mark in the ACC (9-19 overall). Virginia Tech has just one victory in its last 15 contests, defeating Miami on Feb. 15.They most recently lost to North Carolina by four points on March 1.
Virginia Tech is a strong rebounding team, ranking second in the conference in defensive rebounds (26.3/g). The Hokies struggle to cause turnovers, however, averaging just 3.4 steals per game.
Jarell Eddie leads the Hokies in both points (13.4/g) and rebounds (5.4/g), including an 18-point performance against the Tar Heels Saturday. Devin Wilson is second in the ACC with 4.7 assists per game, while Joey van Zegeren is fourth in blocks (50).
Maryland has defeated the Hokies in four consecutive meetings, and hold a 31-10 advantage in the all-times series.

Last Time
Maryland came away with a 20-point road victory against Virginia Tech, 80-60, earlier this season on Feb. 1. It was the Terrapins’ fourth straight win over the Hokies.
The Terrapins shot 51.8 percent from the floor, as Maryland pulled away at the end of the first half on consecutive 3-pointers by Seth Allen and Jake Layman. A 14-2 second half Maryland run put the game out of reach for the Hokies.
Dez Wells led the Terps with 19 points on 6-of-9 shooting, while Allen added 16 points and seven assists.

Milestones, Feats, etc…
– Nick Faust and Dez Wells will both be playing there 100th career games Tuesday against Virginia Tech. Wells played 32 of those games at Xavier, before transferring to Maryland after his freshman season.

– It will also be the 100th game at Maryland for head coach Mark Turgeon.

– Maryland snagged a season-high 63 rebounds at Clemson Sunday, the most in an ACC game ever for the program. The mark ranks sixth in Maryland history, and is the most since the Terps had 64 against North Texas on Dec. 23, 1998.

– Seth Allen followed a 22-point performance against No. 4 Syracuse with 20 points at Clemson Sunday, becoming the first Terp to record at least 20 points in back-to-back games since Dez Wells last season. Wells posted 21 points against Wake Forest and 30 versus Duke on back-to-back days in the 2013 ACC Tournament.

Maryland Closes ACC Reg. Season Play Sunday
The Maryland men’s basketball team will play its final regular season game in ACC history Sunday against No. 5 Virginia as it makes its transition into the Big Ten Conference next season.
Maryland will honor the night in a number of ways at it looks back on its time in the ACC, including a wide array of activities and giveaways. The first 12,000 fans in attendance will receive a commemorative ACC timeline poster featuring a collection of the most memorable Terrapin moments in the conference.
Pregame activities include an autograph session with past Maryland greats, photo opportunities with ACC trophies and an interactive wall that fans can sign their favorite ACC memories on.

Big Ten Announces 2014-15 Home/Away Opponents
Maryland’s home and away opponents for its inaugural men’s basketball season in the Big Ten Conference were announced Feb. 28.
The Terps have home dates against five teams that qualified for the NCAA Tournament in 2013: Indiana, Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota and Wisconsin. Maryland will also host Nebraska, Northwestern, Penn State and Rutgers.
Maryland will play five home-and-home series, featuring Indiana, Michigan State, Nebraska, Penn State and Rutgers. It will also face Illinois, Iowa, Ohio State and Purdue on the road.

Comments Off on Maryland tries to stay above .500 Tuesday against Virginia Tech

Maryland takes on its sixth nationally ranked opponent of the season and third in four games Monday as it welcomes Syracuse to Comcast Center for a 7 p.m. tip on ESPN. It is the first and final regular season meeting between the teams as Atlantic Coast Conference foes.

• The Terps are 5-2 all-time against the Orange in a series that dates back to 1972, when Tom McMillen scored 25 points and added 16 rebounds in an NIT victory at Madison Square Garden. This is the first non-tournament meeting between the teams, who have met twice in NCAA Tournament play.

• Maryland has fared well against AP top-5 teams in College Park, winning 34 of 85 meetings (40 percent). The Terrapins earned a pair of top-5 victories last season, defeating No. 2 Duke on two separate occasions — the last coming in the ACC Tournament quarterfinals, 83-74, on March 15, 2013.

• Junior Nick Faust gave the Terrapins a much-needed spark against Wake Forest last Tuesday, scoring a career-high 20 points on 4-of-7 shooting from 3-point range. On a night when Maryland struggled from the field, Faust sparked the team off the bench en route to a double-digit victory.

• Sophomore forward Charles Mitchell turned in his second consecutive 12-point scoring performance last Tuesday against Wake Forest, providing strong interior play for Maryland. Mitchell ranks sixth in the ACC in offensive rebounds (2.81/g) and sixth in rebounds among underclassmen (6.5/g).

• Maryland guard Nick Faust and preseason ACC Player of the Year, C.J. Fair, are childhood friends from Baltimore, Md.

Terps Power Past Wake Forest
Nick Faust scored a career-high 20 points, and Maryland defeated Wake Forest 71-60 Tuesday night to kick off a two-game homestand.
Faust, a junior guard, went 7 for 11 from the floor and sank four 3-pointers. Charles Mitchell contributed 12 points and Jake Layman added 11 for the Terrapins (15-12, 7-7 Atlantic Coast Conference).
Maryland has eight straight wins over Wake Forest, the longest run in a series that began in 1953 and will end after this season.
Travis McKie scored 16 for the Demon Deacons (14-12, 4-9) and Devin Thomas had 11 points and 15 rebounds. Wake Forest went 3 for 15 from 3-point range and 9 for 20 at the free throw line.

Scouting Syracuse
Syracuse (25-2, 12-2 ACC) has hit a bump in the road since opening the season 25-0 and climbing to the number one spot in the associated press national rankings. After a pair of close calls against Pittsburgh and NC State, the Orange finally dropped their first ACC game when they were knocked off by Boston College on Feb. 19. Syracuse then lost to Duke Saturday night, 66-60.
Featuring its patented 2-3 zone defense, Syracuse has caused trouble for opposing offenses all season. The Orange are fourth in the nation in forced turnovers (9.2/g) and 19th nationally in steals (8.3/g).
Freshman phenom Tyler Ennis leads the ACC in assists (5.7/g) and ranks sixth nationally in assist-to-turnover ratio (3.64). Preseason ACC Player of the Year C.J. Fair — a childhood friend of Nick Faust — is seventh in the conference with 16.5 points per game.

Too Faust, Too Furious
On a night when Dez Wells and Seth Allen combined for 4-of-18 shooting from the field, junior Nick Faust gave the Terrapins a much-needed lift off the bench in the win against Wake Forest last Tuesday.
Faust eclipsed the 20-point barrier for the first time in his career, pouring in 20 points on 7-of-11 shooting in the effort. The Baltimore, Md. native did it all for the Terps, knocking down four 3-pointers, grabbing five rebounds and also dishing four assists.
Maryland improved to 9-4 on the season when Faust scores at least 10 points in a game. The sixth man averages 11.1 points per game (45 percent shooting) in Terrapin victories, in contrast to 8.8 points (35 percent shooting) in losses.

A Series History: Syracuse
Tonight’s contest marks the only non-tournament meeting in the short seven-game history between Maryland and Syracuse. The teams have met four times in postseason play — twice in the NCAA Tournament (1973, 2004) and twice in the NIT (1972, 2008).
Maryland holds a 5-2 advantage in the series, although its last win came in 1980. This will mark the seventh time in eight meetings that one of either Maryland or Syracuse appears in the national rankings.
The last meeting came on March 20, 2008, when the Orange came away with an 88-72 victory on 23 points from Jonny Flynn. James Gist had 23 points and 11 rebounds in the loss.
In the last NCAA Tournament meeting, Syracuse knocked off the No. 19 Terrapins in the second round on March 20, 2004 after nearly squandering a 16-point second half lead. See pg. 4 for a complete history.

Comments Off on Syracuse brings back to back losses into Monday night visit to Maryland

• The matchup marks the 177th all-time meeting between the conference rivals, with Duke holding a 113-63 advantage in the series. The Terps are currently riding a two-game win streak in the series for the first time since 2007, and are looking to win three straight for the first time since 2004-05. This is the first season Maryland will not host the Blue Devils since the inception of the ACC in 1953-54.

• Maryland took two-of-three games from the Blue Devils last season, including an 83-74 victory in the ACC Tournament semifinals. Then-sophomore Dez Wells shined in the effort, scoring 30 points on 9-of-13 shooting (10-of-10 from the free throw line).

• Sophomore Seth Allen is two games removed from a career day against Florida State on Feb. 8, when he posted a career-high 32 points on 7-of-10 shooting from beyond the arc. He followed the effort with a team-high 15-point display at No. 17 Virginia. Allen is averaging 18.5 points over his last four games.

• Junior Dez Wells averaged 17.3 points and seven rebounds in three games against Duke last year, and is averaging a team-high 16.4 points in road games this year. Junior Nick Faust is averaging 9.6 points in five career games against Duke.

• The Terps have been busy on the glass, ranking third in the conference in offensive rebounds (12.63/g) and second in total rebounds (903).

Virginia Edges Maryland, 61-53
Joe Harris scored 19 points and No. 17 Virginia stretched its winning streak to eight games by beating Maryland 61-53 on Monday night.
Seth Allen scored 15 points and Dez Wells had 12 for Maryland (14-11, 6-6), which had won three of four. Malcolm Brogdon added 14 points and Akil Mitchell had 13 for the Cavaliers.
After a block by Maryland, Justin Anderson soared at the other end to block a shot by Maryland’s Roddy Petersnear the rim and saved the ball. He started a fast break that moments later was capped by Harris’ 3-pointer from the right corner, arousing a crowd that had grown quiet by the tight ballgame.
It was 52-41 with just under 5 minutes to play when the Terps staged a rally, getting seven points from Nick Faustand a basket from Wells in a 9-2 run that brought them within 54-50.

Scouting Duke
Duke has won seven of its last eight games, with its lone loss in the span coming to No. 1 Syracuse. The Blue Devils were scheduled to play at North Carolina Wednesday, but the game was cancelled due to weather.
The Blue Devils are an incredible shooting team from behind the arc, leading the nation in 3-point field goal percentage (.420) and ranking fifth nationally in 3-pointers made (9.7). Duke is also fourth in the nation in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.64).
Duke is led by freshman sensation Jabari Parker, who currently leads the ACC in rebounds (8.5/g) and is second in scoring (19.2/g). Quinn Cook is a strong ball handler, ranking fourth nationally in assist-to-turnover ratio (2.98).

A Look Back: Dec. 17, 1954
After a pair of meetings in College Park, Maryland and Duke met in Durham for the first time as ACC foes on Dec. 17, 1954. The Blue Devils overcame a loss to the Terps earlier in the season by winning, 68-61.
Bob Kessler and Bob O’Brien each scored 17 points for the Terps, while Ronnie Mayer had 20 points for Duke.
John Sandbower and Bob Everett made consecutive baskets to bring the Terrapins within five points, 63-58, with 1:30 to play, but Duke managed to hold off the streaking Terps to secure the victory.

Twice as Nice
Maryland defeated Duke twice in the same season last year for the first time since 2006-07, knocking off the Blue Devils at Comcast Center and then in the ACC Tournament semifinals. Dez Wells was tremendous in the conference tournament, pouring in 30 points — including a 10-for-10 effort from the free throw line — to down Duke.
Maryland is looking to win three straight in the series for the first time since a span from 2004-05.

Statistically Speaking

Sophomore Seth Allen is averaging 18.5 points over his last four games, including a 32-point performance against Florida State.

The Terrapins rank third in the ACC with 12.4 rebounds per game on the offensive glass.

The Terps are 11-0 when holding opponents below 40 percent from the field. (see pg. 30 for all trends)

Maryland Rolls Past Florida State
Seth Allen scored 21 of his career-high 32 points in the decisive first half, and Maryland beat Florida State 83-71 Saturday to climb over .500 in the Atlantic Coast Conference.
Playing in his 12th game of the season after being sidelined with a fractured left foot, Allen went 11 for 15 from the floor and 7 for 10 beyond the arc in topping his previous career best of 21 points. The 6-foot-1 sophomore guard also had four rebounds and two assists.
Dez Wells scored 15 and Jake Layman added 12 for Maryland (14-10, 6-5), which avenged a 24-point defeat at Florida State last month. The victory enabled the Terrapins to gain sole possession of seventh place in the ACC, one game ahead of the skidding Seminoles (14-9, 5-6).
Maryland led by 17 at halftime and coasted to the finish.

Comments Off on Maryland visits Duke for final scheduled matchup between teams Saturday

• The matchup marks the 179th all-time meeting between the conference rivals, with Maryland holding the edge by a hefty margin, 106-72, in a series that dates back to 1923-24. The Cavaliers have had the Terps’ number as of late, however, winning five in-a-row for the first time in the series since 1992-94.

• The Terrapins have won three of their last four contests, including a 12-point victory over Florida State Saturday night in College Park, Md. Maryland has shot better than 50 percent in all three of its victories during that span.

• Sophomore Seth Allen had a career day against Florida State, posting a career-high 32 points on 7-of-10 shooting from beyond the arc. Allen matched his previous career-high of 21 points in the first half alone. He is averaging 12.3 points since returning from injury 12 games ago.

• Junior Dez Wells is averaging a team-best 17.0 points in seven road games this season on 51 percent shooting. He is averaging 18.4 points (63 percent FG) over his last five games, and has reached double-figures in 19 of his last 20 games.

• In the last meeting between the Maryland and Virginia on March 10, 2013, Nick Faust scored 15 points on 5-of-9 shooting and Dez Wells had a double-double with 12 points and 12 rebounds. Virginia went on to win in overtime, 61-57.

Maryland Rolls Past Florida State
Seth Allen scored 21 of his career-high 32 points in the decisive first half, and Maryland beat Florida State 83-71 Saturday to climb over .500 in the Atlantic Coast Conference.
Playing in his 12th game of the season after being sidelined with a fractured left foot, Allen went 11 for 15 from the floor and 7 for 10 beyond the arc in topping his previous career best of 21 points. The 6-foot-1 sophomore guard also had four rebounds and two assists.
Dez Wells scored 15 and Jake Layman added 12 for Maryland (14-10, 6-5), which avenged a 24-point defeat at Florida State last month. The victory enabled the Terrapins to gain sole possession of seventh place in the ACC, one game ahead of the skidding Seminoles (14-9, 5-6).
Maryland led by 17 at halftime and coasted to the finish.

Scouting Virginia
Virginia is one of the hottest teams in the country, having won seven consecutive games and 10 of its last 11. The lone hiccup in the span came in a four-point loss at Duke. The Cavaliers are 11-2 (5-0 ACC) at home this season, with losses coming against VCU and Wisconsin.
Virginia currently ranks second in the nation in scoring defense, allowing just 56.0 points per game. The Cavaliers have held every opponent under 70 points during the seven-game win streak, including a 64-45 dismantling of Georgia Tech Saturday night.
Freshman London Perrantes has provided strong guard play for Virginia, ranking 10th nationally in assist-to-turnover ratio (3.36).
Malcolm Brogdon leads the Cavs with 12.1 points per game, and is averaging 16.2 points over his last six games. He is also averaging 5.8 rebounds.

Wells Continues Scoring Streak
Junior Dez Wells capped his fifth straight game with at least 15 points in a 15-point performance against Florida State Saturday night. He shot 4-of-7 at the Comcast Center, while also knocking down six free throws.
Wells has been on a torrid scoring pace since scoring 19 points against then-No. 20 Pittsburgh on Jan. 25, averaging 18.3 points on 63 percent shooting over the last five games.
The Raleigh, N.C. native’s best performance of the span came on Jan. 29 against Miami, when he scored all 21 of his points in the second half. Sidelined in the first half without taking a shot due to foul trouble, Wells went 7-for-7 from the field (6-for-6 FT’s) in the second half and knocked down the game-winning 3-pointer with 5.9 seconds remaining.

Statistically Speaking

Sophomore Seth Allen notched career-highs in points (32), 3-pointers made (7) and field goals made (11) with a sensational performance against Florida State.

Junior Dez Wells leads the Terps with 17.0 points/g on 51 percent shooting in away contests, including a 33-point display at Boston College on Dec. 8.

The Terrapins rank second in the conference and 42nd nationally in total rebounds with 872 on the season, despite not having a single player averaging more than 7.0 per game.

The Terps are 11-1 when leading at the half, and also 10-1 when holding opponents under 70 points. (see pg. 30 for all trends)

Maryland looks to end a two-game skid Wednesday night at 9 p.m. in Comcast Center as it takes on the Miami Hurricanes for the final time in ACC regular season play as head coach Mark Turgeon coaches his 500th career game (303-196, .607).

• The Terps have defeated Miami in three consecutive games at home, and are 5-1 all-time at home (4-1 in Comcast Center) against the Hurricanes. Miami won the inaugural ACC meeting, 75-73, in an overtime thriller on Feb. 5, 2005 in Coral Gables, Fla.

• Junior Dez Wells had a strong performance in his debut against Miami last season, posting 18 points (12 in the second half) on 7-of-11 shooting in the Terps’ 54-47 loss at the Bank United Center.

• Sophomore Jake Layman continues to shoot well in Comcast Center after an 18-point (7-of-12) display Saturday against No. 20 Pitt. He currently leads the team at home with 14.9 points/g on 51 percent shooting (50-for-99).

• The Terps are getting more consistent play at the point guard position as sophomore Seth Allen continues his steady return from a fractured left foot. Allen posted a season-high six assists against No. 20 Pitt, and has dished 15 assists and committed only four turnovers (3.75 ratio) in his last three games.

• The Terrapins have won eight of their last 12 home ACC contests, outscoring opponents by an average margin of 11.8 points in the victories. Maryland handily defeated Georgia Tech by a 16-point margin on Jan. 4, 77-61, before overcoming a nine-point halftime deficit to beat Notre Dame, 74-66, on Jan. 15.

No. 20 Pitt Holds Off Surging Terps
The 20th-ranked Pittsburgh Panthers relied on their inside game and the prowess of guard Lamar Patterson to squeeze out an 83-79 victory over Maryland Saturday at Comcast Center.
Patterson scored 28 points, and the Panthers used a 37-28 rebounding advantage and 32 free throws to earn the victory.
Dez Wells scored 19, Jake Layman had 18 and Nick Faust added 13 for the Terrapins. Maryland closed to 79-74 with 1:19 to go but couldn’t complete the comeback.
A 3-pointer by Faust and a three-point play by Layman cut it to 62-55 with 10:17 to go, but Patterson scored the game’s next three points and got an assist on a basket by Robinson to give the Panthers a 12-point lead with 8:39 remaining.

Scouting Miami
Miami rolls into College Park on a two-game slide after a pair of home losses to Duke and Syracuse. Sitting at 2-5 in the ACC (10-9 overall), the Hurricanes’ lone victories in conference play have come on the road (North Carolina and Georgia Tech).
The Hurricanes rank 10th nationally in scoring defense, allowing just 59.3 points per game. George Washington is the only team to score more than 70 points on Miami in regulation, defeating the Hurricanes, 71-63, in Anaheim, Calif.
Graduate forward Donnavan Kirk presents a menacing shot-blocking force inside, ranking third in the ACC (64th nationally) in blocked shots/g. Kirk is second on the team in both points (9.6/g) and rebounds (6.1/g).
Rion Brown leads the ‘Canes in both scoring (13.4/g) and rebounds (6.3/g).

Statistically Speaking
Sophomore Jake Layman is averaging a team-high 14.9 points on 51 percent shooting in home games.
Junior Dez Wells is a strong second half performer, averaging nearly four more points per game in the second half (8.9/g) than the first (5.7/g). He is shooting 48 percent from the field in the second half and 82 percent from the line.
The Terps are outrebounding opponents by an average of 7.3 boards in home games.
Maryland is 11-0 when leading with 5:00 to play and 8-1 when leading at halftime.
Maryland is 9-1 when holding opponents below 70 points.

What to Watch For
The Terps have taken much better care of the ball since sophomore Seth Allen reprised his role at point guard eight games ago. Allen posted a season-high six assists Saturday against No. 20 Pitt, and has dished 15 assists and committed only four turnovers in his last three games.
Maryland is looking to “rebound” from it’s worst rebounding performance of the season against Pitt Saturday (granted, both teams shot over 48 percent). Pitt out-rebounded the Terps by a nine-board margin, 37-28.
The Terrapins continue to develop their big men as they look for a consistent center in the post. Head coach Mark Turgeon has played his centers based on matchups, although sophomore Charles Mitchell ranks third in the ACC in offensive rebounds (3.0/g).

Terps in the Community
Despite their loss to Pitt Saturday, a number of Terrapin athletes were active in the local community the following Sunday.
Maryland big men Jon Graham, Charles Mitchell and Damonte Dodd attended the Knights of Columbus Free Throw Championship in Bowie, Md., as they cheered on and signed autographs for the youth.
Meanwhile, junior Jacob Suskkind attended Family Sports Night in Bethesda, Md., to share experiences and stories from the perspective of a Maryland student-athlete.

Maryland returns to Comcast Center Saturday night at 6:00 pm as it completes the second leg of a home-and-home series with Pittsburgh. The Terps are hosting Pitt in College Park for the first time since 1980 – a span of 34 years.

• The Terrapins have won eight of their last 11 home ACC contests, including their first two of the 2013-14 season. Maryland handily defeated Georgia Tech by a 16-point margin on Jan. 4, 77-61, before overcoming a nine-point halftime deficit to beat Notre Dame, 74-66, on Jan. 15.

• Maryland is 5-3 overall and 2-0 at home against Pittsburgh in a series that dates back to 1977. The Panthers defeated the Terps earlier this season on Jan. 6, 79-59, as they pulled away with 43 second half points. SophomoreSeth Allen had a team-high 18 points on 4-of-7 shooting from beyond-the-arc.

• Sophomore Charles Mitchell had a tremendous night on the glass in the Terps’ loss to NC State Monday, grabbing a career-high 18 rebounds (9 offensive). The mark is tied for the second-most in a single game among ACC players this season, and Mitchell is currently t-2nd in offensive rebounds (3.2/g) in the ACC.

• Comcast Center has been kind to sophomore Jake Layman, who is averaging a team-high 14.6 points in addition to 5.2 rebounds in nine games at home. He is shooting 49 percent (49-for-87) in Comcast, while averaging a team-high 31 minutes of action.

• Maryland is 11-0 when leading with 5:00 to play and 8-1 when leading at halftime. Additionally, the Terps are 9-0 when holding opponents below 40 percent shooting and 9-1 when holding opponents below 70 points.

Maryland Falls at NC State
Ralston Turner matched his career-high with 23 points, helping North Carolina State rally to beat Maryland 65-56 on Monday night.
Dez Wells and Evan Smotrycz each scored 10 for Maryland, which shot 31 percent for the game. Charles Mitchellfinished with eight points and a career-high 18 rebounds, including nine on the offensive end.
Desmond Lee added 14 points for the Wolfpack, who rallied from 11 down early in the second half to snap a three-game losing streak. NC State shot 57 percent after halftime, with Turner scoring 19 points and knocking down all five of his 3-pointers in the second half.
Maryland looked on its way to a second straight win when it took its biggest lead at 31-20 on Shaquille Cleare’s hook shot over Jordan Vandenberg 30 seconds into the second half.

Last Meeting
Pitt shot 53 percent from the floor to down Maryland, who was on the verge of moving to 3-0 in the ACC for the first time since 2001-02 by a score of 79-59.
Seth Allen and Evan Smotrycz led the way with 18 and 14 points respectively, but Lamar Patterson countered with a game-high 19 points on 8-of-12 shooting.
Pitt and Maryland battled back-and-forth in a tightly contested game during the early stages, as the Terps took a 28-25 lead on an Allen lay-up with 5:42 to play. The Panthers then flipped the script by taking an 11-2 run into the halftime break to take a 36-30 advantage.
Allen and Nick Faust combined for 18 points in the second half, but the Terps made just eight field goals on 29 percent shooting in the frame as Pitt pulled away for the win.

Statistically Speaking

Sophomore Jake Layman is averaging a team-high 14.6 points on 49 percent shooting in home games.

The Terps are outrebounding opponents by an average of 9.1 boards in home games.

Maryland is 11-0 when leading with 5:00 to play and 8-1 when leading at halftime.

Maryland is 9-1 when holding opponents below 70 points.

A Look Back: Jan. 12, 1980
In the last meeting between Maryland and Pitt in College Park, the Terrapins opened up a 17-point lead before eventually winning, 95-88, in front of 13,028 at Cole Field House.
The Terps moved to 11-2 on the young season as four players scored at least 20 points in the game, including Buck Williams (24 pts, 15 rebs), Albert King (23 pts), Greg Manning (22 pts) and Ernie Graham (20 pts, 7 rebs, 7 asts). Graham is the father of current Terrapin, Jon Graham.

Turgeon, Dixon Support Coaches vs. Cancer
Both Mark Turgeon and Pitt head coach Jamie Dixon will be wearing sneakers to show support for Coaches vs. Cancer – a joint effort of the American Cancery Society and the National Association of Basketball Coaches that empowers basketball coaches to make a difference in the fight against cancer.
The annual Coaches vs. Cancer Suits and Sneakers Weekend runs from January 24-January 26.

Comments Off on Maryland gets rematch attempt against Pitt Saturday at Comcast Center

Coaches: Pitt: Jamie Dixon, 15th year at Pitt, 11th year as head coach (275-87); Maryland: Mark Turgeon, 3rd year at UM (52-33), 16th year overall (302-192).

Rankings: Pitt: AP-ARV; USA Today-ARV; Maryland: AP-NR; USA Today-NR.

Series: Pitt and Maryland meet for the eighth time in school history. Maryland holds a 5-2 advantage in the series which began on Feb. 15, 1977. The last time the two teams met was on Nov. 18, 2010 in the 2K Sports/Coaches vs. Cancer Classic at Madison Square Garden, a 79-70 Pitt win. Pitt has hosted Maryland on two different occasions: Feb. 11, 1978 (89-86 Pitt win in OT) and on Jan. 27, 1981 (69-66 UM win in OT). Both were played at Civic Arena.

GAME PREVIEW

PITTSBURGH–Pitt (13-1, 1-0 ACC) plays its first-ever Atlantic Coast Conference men’s basketball game at home when it hosts Maryland (10-5, 2-0 ACC) for a Monday, January 6 contest at the Petersen Events Center. Tipoff is at 7 p.m. ET.

The game will be nationally televised on ESPNU with Bob Picozzi (play-by-play) and Kara Lawson (color analysis) making the call. Matthew Bartley will handle production. The broadcast was moved to ESPNU to accommodate coverage of the FBS national championship game on ESPN2.

Pitt has won its 13 games by an average of 17.9 points per game margin, all 13 wins have come by nine or more points and 10 of its 13 by 17 points or more. Offensively, the Panthers are averaging 76.7 points per game, converting 48.0 percent (379-789) of field goals, 33.0 percent (69-209) of 3-point field goals and an amazing school-record pace of 74.6 percent (247-331) of free throw attempts. Pitt is also outrebounding its opponents by a sizable plus-9.2 margin. Defensively, Pitt is holding its opponents to 58.9 points per game and yielding a 39.5 percent (295-747) field goal percentage. Thirteen of Pitt’s 14 opponents have been held to 70 points or less and eight have scored 60 points or less.

Pitt is 9-0 at home this year, on an 11-game home win streak and 19-game consecutive win streak against non-conference opponents at home. Pitt also owns a 110-3 record vs. non-conference opponents at the Petersen Events Center and has won 131 of its last 135 home games against regular season non-conference opponents.

Pitt hosts Maryland, its second ACC opponent, after registering a 74-62 victory at North Carolina State on Saturday in Raleigh, N.C. The Panthers battled all the way back from an early 17-2 first half deficit to win by 12 points. In the second half, Pitt used 63 percent shooting (17-27) and hit 11-13 free throws in taking control. During a decisive seven-minute stretch after halftime, Pitt converted on 12 of its 13 possessions and outscored NC State 24-6. Lamar Patterson led Pitt with 22 points, eight rebounds and six assists. Talib Zanna added 15 points and nine rebounds and freshman Michael Young contributed a career-high 13 points. Patterson (17) and Zanna (nine) combined to score 26 of their 37 points in the second half.

Maryland (10-5, 2-0 ACC) is on a three-game win streak after consecutive wins over Tulsa, North Carolina Central and Georgia Tech. Head coach Mark Turgeon’s Terrapins are led by four players in double figure scoring including Dez Wells (15.0 ppg./5.3 rpg.), Jake Layman (13.7 ppg./5.1 rpg.), Evan Smotrycz (12.3 ppg./6.9 rpg.) and Nick Faust (10.4 ppg.). This marks Maryland’s third ACC game as it has defeated both Boston College (88-80 on Dec. 12) and Georgia Tech (77-61 on Jan. 4).

MONDAY’S TOP STORYLINES

•Pitt plays its first-ever Atlantic Coast Conference home game when it hosts Maryland on Monday, Jan. 6 at the Petersen Events Center.

•With its 13-1 record, Pitt has currently amassed the second most wins in the ACC.

•With a 9-0 home record and currently on an 11-game home win streak, Pitt is in its 12th season at the Petersen Events Center and carries a 189-22 record (.896) in the arena. The Panthers have won 95 of their last 107 home games and 38 of their last 48 conference home games.

COLLEGE PARK, Md. – The University of Maryland athletic department announced the NCAA has approved the request for a legislative release waiver allowing Jonathan Graham to be immediately eligible for competition for the 2013-14 season.

“We’re excited for Jonathan that he is immediately eligible for the upcoming season,” said head coach Mark Turgeon. “Our administration did an outstanding job working diligently on Jonathan’s behalf.”

Graham played in 57 career games (25 starts) over the course of two seasons at Penn State, averaging 2.8 points, 3.2 rebounds and 17.2 minutes. The Baltimore, Md. native was a 2010 graduate of Calvert Hall College High School.

Graham’s father, Ernie, averaged 13.6 points in 118 games as a Terrapin from 1977-81. Ernie scored 44 points in a game against NC State on December 20, 1978, a feat that remains the Maryland single-game scoring record.

Multiple reports Saturday indicated the University of Maryland basketball team will add a “legacy” player of sorts, as Jonathan Graham (the son of Terrapins legend Ernie Graham) will transfer to College Park.

Graham has played two seasons at Penn State, averaging just 1.9 points and 2.7 rebounds in 13.6 minutes per game for the Nittany Lions. Graham had been a very solid player at Baltimore’s Calvert Hall College before that, averaging 18 points and 10 rebounds per game. There had been disappointment among Terps fans that the school had been more heavily involved in recruiting the 6’8″, 225 pound forward-who had attended many games at Comcast Center with his father. Ernie Graham was one of the great scorers in Maryland history (and also at Baltimore’s Dunbar High School), his jersey now hangs in the Comcast Center rafters.

The Washington Post reports Graham will seek a waiver from the NCAA to allow him to play immediately for Mark Turgeon’s team. The Post also reports Graham will be on scholarship this season, but it is not guaranteed he will remain on scholarship past this season. With four commitments starting in fall 2014, the Terps have their full allotment of scholarships used. That could change should G/F Dez Wells or F Jake Layman continue their development to the point where they become NBA Draft material.

Should Graham be allowed to play, he would join a frontcourt that includes sophomores Shaquille Cleare and Charles Mitchell, incoming junior transfer (Michigan) Evan Smotrycz and incoming freshman Damonte Dodd.

Comments Off on Reports: Jonathan Graham to transfer from Penn State to Maryland